Chapter 12

AS NOON APPROACHED, Aunt Vera still hadn’t shown up at the shop. I finally gave in and called her at home.

She answered on the second ring. “Hello, Jenna.”

“How did you know it was me?”

“Caller ID.”

Of course. Silly me. “Are you all right? Why didn’t you ring me back?”

Aunt Vera sneezed. “I’m sorry, I spoke to Bailey. Didn’t she tell you?”

“Yes, but I thought—”

She blew her nose. “Were you worried sick?”

Worried to distraction was more like it. She was obviously the one who was under the weather. “How are you feeling? Have you come down with something?”

“I’ve been in bed since I dropped you at the shop on Thursday. It’s just a cold.”

“Would you like me to bring you some chicken soup? I’ll have Katie whip up a batch. Heavy on the noodles.” I would even bring her a copy of Chicken Soup for the Soul: 101 Stories to Open the Heart and Rekindle the Spirit. I kept copies of it in the general fiction section of the store. We invariably had to reorder it. The book was a cult success, with heartwarming stories and poetry.

“No, sweetheart, I’m fine. I’ve been drinking plenty of liquids. I’m just run-down.”

“And emotionally strung out.”

“Yes, it’s been a hard week. Losing Pearl. My powers floundering . . .” Her voice trembled.

“Aunt Vera,” I started, but stopped. I wasn’t going to refute her powers, not when I was feeling so many mixed emotions about my own spiritual awakenings.

“I promise I’ll be in tomorrow.”

“No, that’s not why I called. I mean, yes, I love when you’re at the shop, but we don’t need—” I stopped blathering. “Rest up. I’ll check in with you later.”

She blew me a kiss and hung up before I could ask her what else she might need. Cough syrup, antihistamines, tea?

Rather than call her back, I dialed my father and put him on the case. He was pragmatic. He wouldn’t take no for an answer. He would see her in person, or else. Tag, Dad. You’re it.

*   *   *

LATER THAT AFTERNOON, when it was time for the Black Cat Parade to begin, I left Bailey in charge of the shop, dressed Tigger in his cute witch hat, and headed out. The mayor and her committee had done a bang-up job of decorating Buena Vista Boulevard. Black wire outlines of cats were attached to every lamppost. Black parade banners with fringe hung across the streets. Prior to 6:00 A.M., all automobiles had been diverted through neighborhoods. Only foot traffic was allowed.

Hundreds of participants with cats showed up. There were tabbies, black cats, Burmese, Siamese, and ragdolls. An American shorthair with a white tufted neck had the sourest face; he clearly didn’t like the devil’s ears his owner had put on him. A smug Persian wore a crown and was draped with jewels. I even saw a Maine Coon, like the cat in the Cat in the Stacks Mysteries that I had just finished reading. The cat was huge and wore only suit-type cuffs around his ankles. When I asked the owner what his cat was dressed as, he grinned and said a stripper. I laughed out loud.

Dogs were not allowed at this parade. The mayor had made a decree. Cats and dogs didn’t mix. Owners didn’t seem to be put out. At the upcoming Winter Holiday Carnival, adorable canines would rule.

Like people do in New Orleans at Mardi Gras, many were trolling the streets handing out strands of black and orange beads to put people in a festive mood. Others were singing along with the music being piped through speakers: an instrumental of “Black Magic Woman,” followed by “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” and “What’s New, Pussycat?”

I was surprised—but not very—to see Cinnamon Pritchett among the mix. She was cuddling two cats, one under each arm. Both wore teensy red hats. At first, I thought they were devil-style witch hats, but then I realized the horns were deer racks. Cinnamon had named her cats Donner and Blitzen because she found them last Christmas. I approached her and allowed Tigger to sniff the strangers. “Cute costumes,” I said, delighted to have a conversation with her about something other than murder. “Are they Santa’s magical helpers?”

“Yep. In December they’ll be flying around, but in October, they’re grounded.” She smiled. “Aren’t all the kids in costumes cute?”

A group of Winsome Witches stood beside a booth handing out treats to any child in a costume. Some of the witches looked frighteningly scary; others looked as docile as the fairies in Cinderella.

“I was wondering,” I began.

Cinnamon shook her head. “No shop talk. Not at a parade. Think fun, Jenna. Life is supposed to be fun. Besides, I’m late meeting up with my handsome fireman.”

“Are you two getting serious?”

“As serious as a cop and a firefighter can be. The chemistry is good. We’ll have to see if the flame fizzles.” She moved south.

Tigger and I headed north. As we neared the Purr-fect Pet Adoption booth, where dozens of kittens and grown cats were housed in an air-conditioned vehicle nearby and ready for someone’s love, Tigger snuggled into me and started to quiver. Had he picked up a scent? Did fear work like a dog whistle, so high-pitched that only animals could sense it?

“It’s okay, Tig,” I cooed. “You aren’t going anywhere. No way am I giving you back.” I still wondered why he had been abandoned; if only he could tell me.

I heard laughter and turned. Tito Martinez stood at the head of the adoption line. He must have asked the curly-haired woman handling the adoptions a funny question. He held a mini tape recorder in front of her mouth.

As I passed by, Tito said, “Hola, Jenna. Hold up.” He bid good-bye to the woman and raced to walk with me. “You look pretty.”

My hair was pulled into a knot, and I hadn’t put on a speck of makeup. Pretty was stretching it.

“I’m doing an article for the Crier about the parade,” he said. “So, how did you hear about it?” He thrust the tape recorder in my direction.

I raised an eyebrow. “Really?”

“Okay, dumb question. Everybody in town got a flyer.” He grinned. “How do you think all the turistas found out?”

“Because our savvy mayor put the word out via the Internet and elsewise. Ads. Radio. She’s fearless.”

“Care to comment about Dr. Thornton’s murder?” Talk about a guy with no grace when segueing.

I said, “The answer is still no.”

“I was talking to her housekeeper the other day at the coffee shop. She said the doc was having trouble with her daughter. Now do you care to comment?”

“Tito.” I didn’t mean to sound exasperated, but I couldn’t help myself sometimes around him. He seemed to have no nuance. From zero to sixty in less than three seconds. A roller-coaster designer would do well to study Tito.

“It relates to my article about pet adoption,” he went on. “The daughter asked Dr. Thornton to get rid of their cat. Doesn’t that speak to the young woman’s character?” He waited. I didn’t respond. “No? Nothing?”

“Chief Pritchett is right over there.” I pointed.

“Yeah, like she’ll talk to me.” He hurried off in the opposite direction. Was he in hot water with Cinnamon?

At the booth for Cat Food Consortium for Organic Cat Food—a name as long as a cookbook title—the folks were offering homemade pet treats. I purchased mini-sized tuna oil and oatmeal treats. When Tigger finished the first, I worried that he might leap out of my arms for more samples. I held on to him with all my might.

“Hi, Jenna.” The local veterinarian, an Asian woman with the most gorgeous blue-black hair, approached and scratched Tigger’s ears. “How are you doing, little guy?” She didn’t take her eyes off him. Emma had told me that Tigger was so scared the first time he went in for shots, he was shivering down to his teeth. Now? He didn’t shy away from the veterinarian. I chalked it up to the doctor’s incredibly warm demeanor. “He looks real good, Jenna.”

Her words were like gold to me. I was being a good kitty parent.

“Doctor, I was wondering if I could ask you a question about Emma. She said she fainted at the sight of—”

The vet cleared her throat and pointed to something over my shoulder. “Ahem. I think we’ll have to talk later. A handsome man wants speak to you.”

I spun around. Rhett was approaching while waving his arm.

“What a surprise to see you here,” I said as he drew near.

“Yeah, I considered boycotting. No dogs. What was the mayor thinking?” He grinned. “I’m actually taking a midday stroll, then heading back to Bait and Switch. How is your aunt holding up?”

“She’s under the weather. Stress can cause the nastiest colds.”

“Tell her to try a mixture of lemon juice, hot water, and garlic.”

I scrunched my nose. “Ick.”

“Works like a charm every time. Gotta go.” He took my hand and pulled me in for a quick kiss.

Then he loped off, leaving me breathless. Let’s hear it for public displays of affection.

Maya caught up with me, also breathless but not for the same reason. She was perspiring. “Jenna, have you seen Emma?”

“Not yet. Still no Boots?”

Maya shook her head. “I went back to The Enchanted Garden. Emma didn’t show up.” Her eyes were red-rimmed, her thin shoulders hunched.

Tigger mewled. I scruffed his neck. “Yes, I know. It’s so sad.” I eyed Maya. “Look, I’m sure your cat will reappear. How could any feline resist coming to the parade?”

“Emma stole him. I’m sure of it.”

“Why would you say that? Is there a history of bad blood between you two that I don’t know about?”

“Bad blood? No!” Maya’s voice rocketed upward. “It’s just . . . well, ever since Pearl died, Emma’s been so different. You know, closed. Like she’s got a secret.”

She does, I thought, but it was not mine to tell. “Do you think she’s an international cat smuggler?” I teased.

“You’re making fun.”

“A wee bit.”

“Maya,” Bingo shouted as she rushed toward us, her red hair swept off her face in a tight bun, her face devoid of makeup. Clad in a black dress accompanied by striped knee socks, she looked even more witchlike than ever. I bit back a smile. Add a broom and some might think she was the Wicked Witch of the East. “Maya,” she repeated. “Did Emma find you?”

“No.”

“She’s got your cat. She has Boots. She’s at the registration table.” Bingo pointed. “All is good, by the way. The cat sneezed right in front of me. That’s a wonderful omen. A sign of future wealth. Or maybe it’s future health.” She chortled. “Pure superstition, but sometimes we have to be believers.”

Maya broke into a smile, which did worlds for her beleaguered face. “Thank you, thank you.” She raced away.

“Well, my, my,” Bingo pointed. “Take a gander over there. Trisha has come with her mother’s calico.”

Trisha wore a yellow sundress and had tamed her fuzzy black hair into a knot at the nape of her neck. The cat, which was dressed in a black cape decorated with purple stars, squirmed in her arms. Didn’t Tito just tell me that Trisha had wanted to get rid of the cat? Please tell me she didn’t bring him to the parade to abandon him.

I said, “I thought she hated that cat.”

“Don’t let her fool you. She loathed how her mother doted on the cat. Animals and children can be quite competitive. But look at her. She seems to be in seventh heaven. How sweet.”

Sweet or sinister? Dressed in that costume, the cat could woo a new master in a matter of seconds.

“Bingo, what do you know about Trisha?” I said. My friend from college hadn’t called me back yet. I wondered if she would. Revealing private information to me might hamper her career. “I heard Trisha was taking a year off from school, but then I learned she was out on probation.”

Bingo pursed her lips, which looked dry and chapped. Why did some women eschew makeup? It seemed to be a recent trend for her. Had her religious fiancé requested she go au naturel? “I don’t want to talk out of turn,” she began. “On the other hand, you might as well hear the truth. Trisha upset Pearl beyond belief. They always argued.”

“So I noticed.”

“They fought because Trisha was dabbling . . . in drugs.” She glanced around.

So did I. No one was listening in on us. “Go on.”

“Amphetamines and cocaine. Pearl believed Trisha had cleaned up her act, but then Trisha went back to her old habits. Pearl found the stash. She put her foot down. She wouldn’t pay for another day of college until Trisha went into rehab. She threatened to cut her off entirely.”

“Wow.” I ogled Trisha, paying particular attention to her abused skin. I had known an accountant at Taylor & Squibb who was so revved up by drugs she had picked her skin raw. Ultimately, when my associate became drug-free, she had needed extensive dermabrasion to smooth out the mess she had made with her fingernails. I said, “But according to Trisha, she’s not on probation for using drugs. She got booted out because she cheated on a test.”

“Cheated? No, never. That’s not possible.” Bingo crossed her arms. “Despite her apparent proclivities, Trisha is a straight-A student. She would have no reason to cheat. She aces everything. She’s as brilliant as her father was.”

“Get your treats!” A vendor carrying cotton candy and drinks passed by. “Treats for the sweets!”

The aroma of warm sugar made my mouth water. I was hungry. I had skipped lunch. But straight sugar wasn’t the answer. Not after the deliciously rich apple spice muffin I’d downed midmorning. I needed protein. A fish burger or something.

Tigger started to squirm. “Yes, yes,” I said to him. “We’re going to register.”

Bingo said, “I’d better hurry off. I promised to join my fiancé. He’s parading his little munchkin.” I had recently learned that a munchkin wasn’t just an endearing name for a small cat. It was a new breed of cat with supershort legs.

Before Bingo could leave, however, Emma and her husband, Edward, approached.

Emma said, “Hello, Bingo. Jenna.”

Edward was carrying a ginger cat larger than Tigger in his arms. He nuzzled the cat’s chin, then handed the cat to Emma and said, “I’m going to get a pumpkin cupcake. Want one?”

Emma shook her head and brushed her fingertips along his bicep. I wondered if she had told him her secret yet. He didn’t seem cool to her, but he didn’t seem warm, either. He strolled away, his gait long and catlike. While tucking his hair behind his ears, he gazed at the surrounding crowd, as if hunting. Did he know his wife had fallen in love with her doctor? Was he searching for a replacement spouse?

Bingo gave Emma a hug. “I see you’re black cat–less, which means you must have met up with Maya.”

“I did.” Emma looked so relieved. “She’s over the moon.”

“At least one good thing happened. We must start racking up the positive.” Bingo hurried off.

Emma watched her with fixed concentration. When Bingo disappeared into the crowd, Emma pivoted and held her cat beneath the armpits to let him sniff Tigger, nose to nose. “Make nice,” she cautioned. Emma’s cat pawed at Tigger, who, in turn, sniffed with curiosity. Neither hissed. “Good boy.” Emma tucked her cat into her arms. “Do you need to enter Tigger into the parade?”

“Yes.”

“I’ll go with you.”

As we headed in the direction of the registration desk, we passed another vendor selling freshly made pretzels. Better than sugar, I mused. The vendor assured me he had made the pretzels with almond flour, so I would get some protein. I bought one and tore off a tiny nibble for Tigger. He lapped it up. I downed the rest, savoring the salty warmth while wondering how hard it was to make pretzels. They were one of my favorite snack foods. Back when David and I lived in San Francisco and were clawing our way to success, we had eaten lots of pretzels-and-soda dinners. Memories. I nudged them into the past and, instead, imagined the upcoming dinner at Rhett’s house. What would he prepare? Should I take clothes to change into after the hike, maybe that backless little number I had purchased at a local boutique? It was near perfect with a plunging neckline and a flirty skirt. A shiver of delightful anticipation ran through me.

Emma cut into my dreamy thoughts. “Jenna, ever since I learned Pearl was murdered, I’ve been thinking about who might have wanted her dead. I hate that anyone could imagine I did it. I really did love her.”

“Have you told your husband, you know . . .”

Emma shook her head vehemently. “No, and I never will. I’m turning over a new leaf. I’m dedicating myself to him. We have a good marriage. It was my mistake. I was weak. I’m not going to look at another man or woman that way ever again.” She fingered the hair at the nape of her neck. “Anyway, as I was saying, I’ve been thinking. When we talked to Chief Pritchett”—respectfully, she didn’t add that I had inserted myself into the conversation—“you mentioned that a hypodermic needle might have been used to kill Pearl. I’m not kidding; I faint at the sight of them, but Bingo wouldn’t. She was a nurse.”

I gaped at her. Why would she point a finger at the new leader of the Winsome Witches? “Don’t you like Bingo?”

“Of course I do, and I respect her, too. She’s the High Priestess, and I’m her handmaiden. But I was trying to think of other suspects. Bingo would know all about needles and what kinds of poisons to use, wouldn’t she? Nurses learn about that kind of stuff. Just between you and me, she’s always wanted to be High Priestess. Pearl told me so. Bingo could have had an agenda, and get this . . .” Emma looked right and left and back at me. She lowered her voice. “I saw Bingo in her antique shop the night Pearl died, when I was out looking for Mrs. H’s dog.”

“That gives her an alibi.”

“Does it?” She mulled that over. “Well, anyway, she was practicing spells.”

“Spells?”

“A book in one hand, a wand in the other.” Emma balanced her cat on one hip and used her other hand to demonstrate. “She had all sorts of bottles and mixing jars on a table in front of her. I wouldn’t be surprised if she was working on a potion to snare that fiancé of hers.”

“She didn’t need to snare him.” In truth, I didn’t like the turn of this conversation. I didn’t think my aunt would appreciate it, either. Bingo was a friend. A good woman. Just because she looked like a caricature of a witch didn’t make her one. Yet I flashed on a moment at Pearl’s house right after we found her, while the police were investigating. Bingo was eyeing the others with a look bordering on triumph.

“I’m certain there’s something Bingo isn’t telling us.” Emma pressed through a knot of people blocking the end of the registration line. “Excuse us. Thanks.” She lined up behind three others. I stood beside her. “Bingo’s been acting cagey for the past few weeks.”

“Cagey, how?”

“Have you noticed that anytime her fiancé goes near one of her friends, Bingo spirits him away?”

I hadn’t, but then I barely knew the Reverend. I had only met him once, at a diner while he was picking up a to-go meal. He was the pastor of a small congregation, a studious type with longish hair and a beak nose.

“Did you notice that he didn’t go on the haunted tour? He didn’t come to the party at Pearl’s house, either.”

Neither did Emma’s husband, but I wasn’t going to quibble. I said, “Perhaps he was working on his sermon.”

“He rarely goes anywhere other than church. It’s like Bingo doesn’t want us to get to know him. What if she’s put a spell on him?”

I snorted. “C’mon, Emma, you don’t really believe that, do you?”

“Bingo acted like Pearl’s friend, but she wasn’t. I heard her on the haunted tour. She was arguing with Pearl. She said Pearl couldn’t be trusted to keep her mouth shut.”

“About?”

“That’s just it. I asked Pearl. She wouldn’t tell me. Why not? Because she could keep her mouth shut.”

Sadly, I thought, that would be forever.